North East Buses

More Darlington night bus suggestions:

N2 Town Centre - Branksome.
N11 Town Centre - Red Hall.

(05 May 2014, 9:05 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]More Darlington night bus suggestions:

N2 Town Centre - Branksome.
N11 Town Centre - Red Hall.

As Darlo is quite small, I can see the use of 2 solo's needed for town night services. I.e. The N2 operates West to Branskome whilst the N11 operates East to Red Hall, then the N2 becomes the N14 South to Skerne Park as the N11 becomes the N66 north to North road, so on until they complete a circuit of the town each operating different compass directions from the town centre at the same time.

I saw an MPD the other evening and it said 'Private Hire' I'm just wondering, what kind of private hires can arriva busses be used for?

I think the X2 should become a bit of a competitor on the way to Newcastle with GNE's X21. Fair enough it makes limited stops along the way to Gateshead through Birtley and Low Fell etc and gets decent loadings, but if it used the motorway direct to Gateshead like the X21 does, people would have the choice of Arriva or Go North East, and Arriva could pick up a bit of a profit from those unfortunate people who can't get on the X21 because it's so packed. A lot of people who want to go direct to Newcastle and Gateshead who seem to stick to Arriva-only would benefit as well. If not, I suppose an entire new service could be created.

What about non-stop service from Newcastle to Sunderland via the Tyne Bridge, A184 and A19 then into Sunderland, every half an hour.

How about a service from Darlington to York via Richmond and other North Yorkshire towns? Express obviously, every hour on the hour. Using 'MAX' Gemini streetdeck or new E400

(15 Jun 2014, 7:00 pm)JoshP wrote [ -> ]How about a service from Darlington to York via Richmond and other North Yorkshire towns? Express obviously, every hour on the hour. Using 'MAX' Gemini streetdeck or new E400

Not sure that it would be a hit, as you can get the train from Darlington which would be alot faster than a bus and I'm not sure many people in Darlington really want to go to York as people complained when Arriva had adverts on the side of their buses saying I heart York. Not sure people in York would really want to go to Darlington either. If it did get any passengers they'd probably mostly be concession passes.

(15 Jun 2014, 7:18 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Not sure that it would be a hit, as you can get the train from Darlington which would be alot faster than a bus and I'm not sure many people in Darlington really want to go to York as people complained when Arriva had adverts on the side of their buses saying I heart York. Not sure people in York would really want to go to Darlington either. If it did get any passengers they'd probably mostly be concession passes.

Stagecoach Tried it twice with there service x90 and it was soon scrapped

Service suggestions for 43, 44, 45 and 306:

- 43 operating every 15 minutes betwen Cramlington and Newcastle Monday to Saturday daytime with a PVR of 6. Buses would operate every 30 minutes during evenings and Sundays and only during these times would the 43 interwork with the 52/53. At all other times, the 43 will interwork with an enhanced service 45.

- Service 44 operating every 30 minutes with a PVR of 7 between Dinnington / Morpeth and Whitley Bay via the current route to Barras Bridge. Buses would call at St Mary's then run limited stop to Billy Mill calling at Willington Square and Formica. Buses would then follow the 308 route to the A191 / A192 roundabout then follow the original 44 route to Whitley Bay from there via the Marden Estate resulting in the 306 only operating between Tynemouth and Newcastle. Buses towards Hazelrigg from Newcastle would also call at Haymarket. Evening and Sunday routes, running boards and PVR's would remain the same as now.

- Service 45 operating every 15 minutes between Dinnington and Newcastle Monday to Saturday daytime. Buses would follow the same route as now with a PVR of 4 between Newcastle and Dinnington interworking the 43 Monday to Saturday daytime. Evening and Sunday routes, running boards and PVR's would remain the same as now.

- Service 306 would only operate between Tynemouth and Newcastle with a PVR of 7. Frequency would remain unchanged.

- Reliability on services 43 and 45 would improve

- Reliability on services 306 and 308 would improve

- 8 Buses per hour between the Travellers Rest and Newcastle with service 44 also providing a half hourly service between Gosforth Park and Newcastle Barras Bridge on top of this.

Service X23 from Newcastle to Metro Centre:
Would run every 20 minutes, requiring a PVR of 2.
-A link for people using Arriva services from north of Newcastle to the Metro Centre, it would be useful for those who had purchased an Arriva day ticket for example as they would not have to purchase a ticket from a different operator therefore would be cheaper for them. Thoughts?

(18 Jun 2014, 9:13 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Service X23 from Newcastle to Metro Centre:
Would run every 40 minutes, requiring a PVR of 2.
-A link for people using Arriva services from north of Newcastle to the Metro Centre, it would be useful for those who had purchased an Arriva day ticket for example as they would not have to purchase a ticket from a different operator therefore would be cheaper for them. Thoughts?

Where is it going to take 40 minutes to get to the Metrocentre? It's about 15-20 minutes from Newcastle on most of the Eldon Square routes and Stagecoach 100.

(12 Apr 2014, 11:55 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]Here is my suggestion to improve the ''Coast and Castles'' services:

Service X14: This service would continue to connect with service 14 at Morpeth, however would only run hourly.

Service X15: A new, faster link would be introduced from Newcastle to Berwick and Alnwick. This service would omit Felton and Shillbottle to improve reliability on this service. From Alnwick to Berwick, this service would operate via it's normal route, with some timetables improvements to assist with reliability, including longer loading times at Alnwick, and a increased layover at Berwick, and Newcastle.

New Service X16: This service would operate hourly, from Newcastle to Alnwick. It would operate via Regent Centre, Stannington Village, Hepscott Village, Morpeth, Pegswood, Widdrington, Amble and Alnmouth. This would provide a increased hourly service for residents of Hepscott Village, and an improved faster link from Stannington Village to Newcastle. This would replace service X18 around Widdrington and Amble, and make the service more reliable. Combined with the X14, X15 and X18, it would provide a service between Morpeth and Newcastle every 15 minutes, albeit the X16 taking around 10 minutes longer.

Service X18: Service X18 would see significant changes to route, and timetable. To speed journeys up, service X18 would omit Widdrington, Amble and Alnmouth, which would be replaced by new service X16. This service would run via it's current route to Morpeth from Newcastle and Regent Centre, then would operate to Alnwick via the A1, Felton and Shilbottle, to replace the links previously provided on service X15. Then it would operate via it's current route from Alnwick to Berwick, but all services will serve Howick to improve links for tourists wanting to visit Howick and Dunstunburgh Castle. The timetable would be changed significantly, and be coordinated with the X14, X15 and X16 to provide a service every 15 minutes from Morpeth to Newcastle, and coordinated with the X15 and X16 to provide a service up to every 20 minutes from Alnwick to Newcastle.

Services 57A and 33 would also be affected by this change. Reliability would be improved significantly, however, 33 journeys would be slightly re-timed by 5-7 minutes. The increased layover time at Morpeth would allow the 57/57A journeys to be slightly re timed to improve reliability.

Overview:
*Faster journeys from Newcastle to Alnwick and Berwick.
*Improved reliability.
*More frequent services from Alnwick to Newcastle.
*Improved links for villages such as Howick, Hepscott and Stannington.

nice idea, but there is a problem with Howick. for passenger loadings the buses operating on the Northern end of the X18 have to be double deck, and the bridge at Howick is too low. other than that I think its a good idea.

my idea is a lot simpler. change the x18 to operate via widdrington,amble etc as it does just now, but then operate via the A1 from alnwick to Berwick. Run the X16 on a full timetable running every 2 hours, and extending from Belford to Berwick, and continue to omit felton and shilbottle. on the hours between run an X15 from Alnwick to Newcastle via its current route.
these changes would be enough to greatly increase reliability.

(18 Jun 2014, 9:18 pm)BJ10VUS wrote [ -> ]Where is it going to take 40 minutes to get to the Metrocentre? It's about 15-20 minutes from Newcastle on most of the Eldon Square routes and Stagecoach 100.

Sorry just realised what I've done changed it to every 20 minutes

(18 Jun 2014, 9:13 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]Service X23 from Newcastle to Metro Centre:
Would run every 20 minutes, requiring a PVR of 2.
-A link for people using Arriva services from north of Newcastle to the Metro Centre, it would be useful for those who had purchased an Arriva day ticket for example as they would not have to purchase a ticket from a different operator therefore would be cheaper for them. Thoughts?

How about an extension of Service X24 running:
Durham - Framwellgate Moor - Plawsworth - Chester-le-Street - direct via the A1 - Metrocentre - Newcastle.

Journey time would take roughly 55 minutes, if it operated every 30 minutes there would be 4 Arriva buses an hour between Durham / Chester and Newcastle with the X2.

I know Forest Hall need more arriva buses and a possible connection to the cobalt, rather than the 53 that serves the cobalt 3 times a day,or walk to asda and get the 335,and reinstate a bus to whitley bay again cus nobody wants to be stuck on the hourly GNE 17 to whitley bay from forest hall

Don't know why they didn't take the opportunity with the rehash of services to put the 64 and 64A back via Smeaton Street and Borough Road to/from Middlesbrough.
At the momentt all the buses to South Bank during the daytime operate non-stop between M'bro bus station and Cargo Fleet. omitting the rest of the stops in the town centre.
If I want to go to South Bank I just walk. Takes 30 minutes, so why would I walk 15 minutes in the other direction back to the bus station just to pay to get a bus back again!

Heres my suggestions
SERVICE 44:reinstated to whitley bay
SERVICE 51:made every 30 mins
SERVICE 52:to serve old X4/5 route on northumbrian way
SERVICE 53:reinstated to serve whitley bay with an additional stop at northumberland park
SERVICE 53A:same route as 53 but serves weetslade road and serves west bailey(killingworth lake)bus station,then same route,after rake lane 53A serves marden estate then continues to whitley bay
SERVICE 54:to serve old 355 route
SERVICE 54A: same as 54 to to south gosforth,then serves DWP,four lane ends,benton,forest hall then continues the same route to west allotment,54A then serves northumberland park,shiremoor,earsdon then same route to whitley bay
SERVICE 56:reinstated to north shields
SERVICE 57:reinstated to serve north shields
SERVICE X6: newcastle-morpeth via cramlington and east hartley and ashington
Services 53,53A,54,54A will all interwork the 52 will interwork with the 55 instead of the 54
Services 56 and 57 will interwork at north shields

(30 Jun 2014, 2:40 pm)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]Heres my suggestions
SERVICE 44:reinstated to whitley bay
SERVICE 51:made every 30 mins
SERVICE 52:to serve old X4/5 route on northumbrian way
SERVICE 53:reinstated to serve whitley bay with an additional stop at northumberland park
SERVICE 53A:same route as 53 but serves weetslade road and serves west bailey(killingworth lake)bus station,then same route,after rake lane 53A serves marden estate then continues to whitley bay
SERVICE 54:to serve old 355 route
SERVICE 54A: same as 54 to to south gosforth,then serves DWP,four lane ends,benton,forest hall then continues the same route to west allotment,54A then serves northumberland park,shiremoor,earsdon then same route to whitley bay
SERVICE 56:reinstated to north shields
SERVICE 57:reinstated to serve north shields
SERVICE X6: newcastle-morpeth via cramlington and east hartley and ashington
Services 53,53A,54,54A will all interwork the 52 will interwork with the 55 instead of the 54
Services 56 and 57 will interwork at north shields

I like the top one. It would massively imprpve reliability on the Coast Rd corridor allowing the 306 and 308 to concentrate on that corridor and allow the 44 to carry longer distance passengers. BUT, I would operate it via the 308 route between Newcastle and Rake Lane calling at St Mary's then only calling at Willington and Billy Mill. Buses would then serve all 308 stops to just before Foxhunters then the old 44 route from there via Marden. Think of it like this, if GNE didn't have the Pronto supplementing the Angel, you'd see 4 green double deckers in a row going up and down Durham Road. That's the way it's heading on the Coast Road. People would still use the 306 / 308 for convenience but for people wanting just to simply get from point to point, the 44 would do that.

I liked the 44, and it would be a good gap filler especially on the evenings,arriva have hashed up the 306 now,especially after 3 when in becomes half hourly so the 44 could be sort of a replacement of for those 2 missing buses,so would you have the 44 interwork with the 306 at haymarket?

(03 Jul 2014, 9:19 am)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]I liked the 44, and it would be a good gap filler especially on the evenings,arriva have hashed up the 306 now,especially after 3 when in becomes half hourly so the 44 could be sort of a replacement of for those 2 missing buses,so would you have the 44 interwork with the 306 at haymarket?

No, an extra bus would be allocated to the 43 and the 43 and new 44 and 45 would operate standalone Mon to Sat daytime. The existing 44 would be renumbered 45 and the new 44 would operate the current 45 route between Dinnington and Newcastle Barras Bridge then the old route from St Mary's with the variation via Billy Mill rather than Norham Road. Wouldn't operate evenings and Sundays and journeys / PVR's for the 43, 44, 45, 52, 53 would remain unchanged evenings and Sundays.